Machine for cutting off the tops of beets and the like.



O FRANKMAN.

WiACHiNE FOB EUTTING DH: THE TOPS OF BEETS AND THE LEKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2?. ma.

1 6 f3 1 Q} 93 1 V Patsnte Jan. 16, 1917.

1/7/67) far 1 79 61 .17 fiwzm I crank pin 18 fastened into a disk 19 that is sraajasra innar OLOF FRANKMAN, F MARIEBERG, SWEDEN.

' MACHINE FOR CUTTING OFF THE TOP S OF BEETS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed March 27, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLOF FRANKMAN, a citizen of Sweden, and resident of Marie berg, Sweden, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Cutting Off the Tops of Beets and the like; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to an apparatus for cutting off the tops and the leaf-crowns of growing beets and the like. The improvement is to be applied to such machines as are provided with a knife adjustable in a vertical direction.

The object of the invention is to put the knife in a transverse motion in relation to the longitudinal direction. of the machine or to the beet row in order that the beets will be cut right through without the last part of the top being broken off as usually happens when the knife has no transverse motion.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus and Fig. 2 a plan view of the same.

In the machine frame 1 carried by wheels two downwardly directed brackets 2 are fastened in which the fore ends of an upper and a lower pair of backwardly directed bars i and 5 are journaled on horizontal pins or shafts 3. These bars are at their rear ends pivotally connected with the member 8 carrying the knife 6 and a roller 7 or the like running over the beet row. The roller 7 is journaled in the lower part of the knife holder 8 and runs directly ahead of the knife (3 in such a way that the lower part of the roller lies a little higher than the horizontal knife. The upwardly directed shank 9 of the knife is connected with a slide 11 which is movable perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the machine in guides on the upper part of the knife holder. This slide may consist of two parallel bars. A connecting rod 12 is journaled on the slide 11 and connected with the arm 13 of a bell crank journaled in a bracket 14 on the knife holder. The other arm 15 of the bellcrank r is connected with one end of a connecting rod 17 by means of a universal joint 16. The connectlng rod 17 1s ournaled on a provided with teeth engaging into a toothed J wheel 20 on one of the lower shafts 3. This shaft is brought into rotation in any suit- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. I6, 191*1.

Serial No. 87,082.

able way from the driving wheels of the machine or from a separate motor placed on the frame work of the machine. The wheel 19 is journaled on a bracket 21 supported by the frame 1. Thus, by means of the crank pin 18 the knife is moved quickly to and fro perpendicularly to the beet row, whereat the tops of the beets are cut off smoothly without being broken off.

In order to provide a free motion to the vertical shank 9 of the knife, even when the knife works underneath the surface of the ground, a share 22 is provided in front of the shank 9. This share pushes the earth and other objects to the side in such a way that a furrow is formed in which the shank 9 can move freely. The share 22 is supported by a vertical bar 23 going through a guide 25 in the frame 1 and at its upper end connected with one arm 25 of a bell crank the other arm 26 of which is within reach of the driver and serves as a lever for pressing down the share in the ground and for the adjusting of the same to different working depths. The bar 23 is at 1 its lower end connected with the rear end of a rod 27 the fore end of which is journaled on the shaft 3. A circular knife 29 is supported by an arm 28 fastened to the rod 27, and the knife 29 is driven by means of a chain 30 from the chain wheel 31 on the shaft 3. The knife 29 is placed directly in front of the share 22 and has for its object to cut off the projecting tops of the leaf crowns and the like which otherwise would impede the movement of the shank 9.

The roller 7 is driven from the shaft 3 by means of a chain 32 or the like and presses the leaf-crowns downward in such a way that the knife 6 without hindrance may cut off the tops of the beets. Before the roller strikes the leaf-crown this latter has already been bent forward by the bottom of a trough 33 which is open at the top and fastened to the bars 5. This trough protects the connecting rod 17 and the toothed gearing 19, 20 from coming in contact with the leaf-crowns.

The knife 6 and the roller are arranged to pose of gathering the leaf-crowns together in such a way that the whole of them passes under the roller.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a beet topping machine, the combination of a main frame, a shaft mounted on the main frame, a tilting frame mounted on the shaft, a roller mounted in the tilting frame, means between the shaft and the roller for rotating the latter, a slide carried by the tilting frame and located over the roller, a horizontal crank arm mounted on the tilting frame and pivoted at one end to the slide, a link connected to the opposite end of the crank arm, means for reciprocating the link from the shaft, a shank depending from the slide, a vertically adjustable knife on the shank, said knife extending below and at an angle across the path of movement of the roller, a rotating cutter depending from the tilting frame in advance of the roller, a plow share supported on the main frame between the shank and the rotating cutter, and means for raising and lowering the tilting frame.

2. In a beet topping machine, the combination of a main frame, a shaft mounted in the main frame, a supplemental frame mounted in the main frame, a roller mounted in the rear of the supplemental frame, a slide including a pair of parallel legs mounted above the roller, a shank depending from the slide to a point below the plane of the bottom of the roller, a knife extending at an angle from the shank and across the path of movement of the roller, a crank pivoted to the supplemental frame and connected to the slide, a connection between the crank and the shaft including a rod and universal joint for reciprocating the slide, and means in advance of the shank for removing the earth from the path of said shank.

3. In a beet topping machine, the combination of a main frame, a shaft mounted therein, a supplemental frame mounted on the shaft, a roller mounted in the rear of the supplemental frame, a knife mounted in rear of and below the center of the roller and extending across the path of movement of the roller, means between the knife and the shaft for reciprocating said knife, a trough supported by the supplemental frame between the shaft and the roller to depress the beet tops, a rotating cutter mounted in advance of the roller and to one side of the trough, a plow-share in rear of the rotating cutter, and means for raising and lowering the plow share.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OLOF FRANKMAN.

l/Vitnesses H. BRANZELL, FRED. STEnoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, .D. 0. 

